JONATHAN FURBER SENTENCED IN WINCHESTER COURT FOR ONLINE OFFENDING IN SALISBURY
Jonathan Furber, of Salisbury Road, was convicted of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to encourage a child to watch a sexual act.He was confronted and arrested at a pub by paedophile hunters after they arranged a meeting.
The 31-year-old received a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
During the sentencing at Winchester Crown Court on January 28, Judge Miller QC stated that this was “a one and only” opportunity for Furber but cautioned that any reoffending or breach of the sentence would result in him being brought back to court.
Prosecutor Roderick Blain explained that in 2018, Furber began messaging an account he believed belonged to a 14-year-old girl named Hannah.
Unbeknownst to him, the account was operated by an adult woman involved with a “vigilante organisation.” Despite being informed that the individual behind the account was underage, Furber continued to send sexually explicit images.
The conversation later moved to WhatsApp, where “extremely graphic and sexualised” messages, including video footage of Furber masturbating, were exchanged, with “Hannah” suggesting she do the same.
A meeting was scheduled to take place at a pub, where Furber allegedly expressed intentions to take her into the forest for sex.
When he arrived, he was confronted by members of the paedophile hunter group in large numbers, who livestreamed their citizen’s arrest online.
Police were called to arrest Furber following the confrontation.
Mitigating his actions, solicitor Ruby Selva stated that Furber had lost his job and his relationship, and had not been taking medication for ADHD.
She emphasized that he had been communicating with adult women and that this “spiraled,” leading to the online humiliation.
She clarified that there was “no suggestion” Furber sought out others or possessed any sexually explicit images of children on his devices.
Selva further noted that Furber had been “wholly cooperative” with authorities, pleading guilty even after the CPS reported difficulty in contacting the vigilante group, whose leader had already been prosecuted.
She highlighted that he had shown “true remorse” and was working to address his behaviour, and requested a suspended sentence.
Judge Miller agreed, starting with a four-year sentence for the first charge but reducing it because the 14-year-old child “did not exist,” making the offence impossible.
The sentence was further reduced by a third for his guilty plea and then suspended for two years.
In her remarks, the judge acknowledged Furber’s “considerable remorse” demonstrated by his guilty plea despite the lack of evidence from the vigilante group, seeing this as “a real chance of rehabilitation.” She stressed the importance of leniency, saying, “This is a one and only opportunity.
You're not going to get another chance like this.” She warned Furber against reoffending or breaching his conditions, adding, “This is a chance.
Please don’t make me regret it.” Furber was also ordered to complete a sex offenders course, undertake 25 days of rehabilitation, and perform 100 hours of unpaid work.
Furthermore, he received a sexual harm prevention order, and his phone was to be surrendered and destroyed.
